What does a tornado do?

Quick Answer. The damage a tornado can do varies on the size, strength and location. A mile-wide tornado with 200-mph winds can level an entire town, whereas a small tornado with 80-mph winds in an unpopulated area may cause no damage at all. read more

Story highlights. What to do in the event of a tornado warning: Hide inside a stable structure, avoid windows; What to do in the event of a tornado watch: Start planning in case one hits read more

A tornado is a rapidly rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. read more